Kautilya's Arthashastra 9.2.11

9.2.11

amitrasya vā balakāle pratyutpanne śatrubalam avagṛhṇīyāt, anyatra vā preṣayet, aphalaṃ vā kuryāt, vikṣiptaṃ vā vāsayet, kāle vātikrānte visṛjet //

When the time for the march of one's enemy's army has approached, one has to obstruct the enemy or send him far away, or make his movements fruitless, or, by false promise, cause him to delay the march, and then deceive him after the time for his march has passed away. One should ever be vigilant to increase one's own resources and frustrate the attempts of one's enemy to gain in strength.